


live

by Ealasaid



Series: between the crosses (but with shipping) [3]
Category: 1917 (Movie 2019)
Genre: Comfort, Consensual Infidelity, Healing Sex, Infidelity -- sort of, M/M, Non-Explicit Sex, Oral Sex, Polyamory, Porn with Feelings, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rare Pairings, Self-Doubt, Threesome - M/M/M, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26431750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ealasaid/pseuds/Ealasaid
Summary: In which Colonel Richards and Major Blake have some time on leave, which they use to visit the former Captain Schofield.  Schofield, exhausted and stressed from trying to readjust to civilian life, is persuaded to take a few days' holiday with his dearest friends from the Front.Slight AU ofbetween the crosses.
Relationships: Joseph Blake/Lieutenant Richards, Joseph Blake/Lieutenant Richards/William Schofield, Joseph Blake/William Schofield, Lieutenant Richards/Lieutenant Richards's Wife, Lieutenant Richards/William Schofield, William Schofield/William Schofield's Wife
Series: between the crosses (but with shipping) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021228
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	live

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the guns below / now we lie](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23897365) by [Ealasaid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ealasaid/pseuds/Ealasaid), [Pavuvu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pavuvu/pseuds/Pavuvu). 
  * Inspired by [fly](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25248934) by Anonymous. 



> FEELINGS AHOY.

Benjamin sees an awareness flicker back to Schofield, much though he's eased in the face of plentiful spirits and easy companionship. It isn't as though they haven't done this before, the three of them, and Benjamin wonders a moment at the cause.

Schofield is so quiet. Quiet, and still -- practically frozen. Benjamin sees him swallow, throat bobbing, and knows it is because Will is afraid. 

But Benjamin has never known Schofield to _not_ be afraid. Exhausted, yes, and frequently -- they all are in the army, even now that the peace treaty is done and all that needs finishing is the ink to dry. What he and Joseph have always been able to count on is Will's ability to hide his fear. His calm in the face of chaos has long been something from which everyone could draw strength.

What Will is shite at right now is hiding how badly he wants what Joseph and Benjamin are offering. Benjamin hasn't been discharged and shan't be any time soon -- but he's always found just being on _leave_ horribly disorienting for anyone who hasn't spent their military career embracing the uncertainty of being an officer. 

Schofield has spent half a year wanting for military discipline and routine, doubtless. Being a gentle man at heart has no bearing in this -- after three years of expecting the worst discomfort and abuse and being demanded to give it all right back, Benjamin isn't surprised in the least by the former Captain's reticence. Schofield must still be expecting nothing but roughness and violence from himself and others. That's a terrifying prospect now that he's at home with a lovely wife, two beautiful young daughters, and two infant sons.

Schofield, with Joseph under one arm and under Benjamin's arm in turn, wets his lips nervously. More, Benjamin judges, because he is unaccustomed to expressing his desires and less from distaste. But, nevertheless -- they wait. This isn't something they're going to force on him, no matter how badly they see he needs it.

"Yes," Schofield says after a long, long moment. He swallows again. "Yes," he repeats, stronger, and then: "Please."

He doesn't look very certain, still. But Joseph's soft sigh of relief has him turning towards the younger man, and Joseph readily leans in to press himself up against Schofield, cradling Will's face close and kissing him sweetly.

Will exhales and he thaws, loosening under Benjamin's arm. He returns the kiss, first slow with the mien of a man remembering how to kiss another man, and then all at once with fire. Joseph always was able to get Will to open up more easily than Benjamin could. 

Benjamin busies himself with working at freeing him from the constraints of clothing. The fact that Will is no longer wearing a military uniform is only a hindrance for a few confounding moments before Benjamin's fingers remember that civilian clothing isn't something he's never encountered.

Despite the utter transparency in Benjamin's actions, Will still startles ever so slightly when he frees Will from his trousers, breaking from Joseph with a gasp. "Easy," Benjamin says softly in his ear, keeping his touch light. Will shivers and leans back, doing his best to steady himself as Benjamin teases the small divot beneath the tip of him. Benjamin is satisfied to see that he's having a hard time of it. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Benjamin notices Joseph looking speculatively at his work. Reading his intentions even from this limited perspective, Benjamin does his part. He leans in to kiss and suck at Will's throat. 

Will whines, very slightly, and gropes blindly for a hold on Benjamin. He manages to catch some of the fabric of the back of Benjamin's shirt and twists his fingers in it; he can't seem to decide if he's going to try to push Benjamin away or pull him in closer. "No marks," Benjamin both reminds and promises and turns slightly to lean in closer. He is delighted when Will tips his head back so Benjamin can nose further into the space beneath his jaw.

There's a trick to it, the three of them found. Thrilling though it is to sink one's teeth into another and _suck,_ the marks are too easily identified. Covering by hiring a prostitute for entertainment was only possible when they weren't on the Front, and it rather defeated the purpose of turning to each other in the first place. 

Will doesn't have to fear being caught and court-martialed these days, but Benjamin knows full well that Will's first love is his wife and his family. Benjamin can understand that: he is genuinely fond of his wife, Lydia, one of the only women he's ever found who can keep up with him besides his sisters, and he wouldn't want to threaten his relationship with her at all. 

What Will and Joseph and Benjamin have is different, anyhow. It's -- just, being in the hideous conditions on the Front, _any_ comfort they can offer each other -- and with how much they've gone through, the three of them -- it's just hard to put into words for someone who wasn't there. And while it isn't impossible to explain it all _(bless_ Lydia), Benjamin doesn't know Ellie that well, or how she would take it. It's best not to give her reason to suspect in the first place. 

Anyway, they've learnt to give pleasure without leaving such tells. Each of them has mastered how to scrape one's teeth lightly instead of bite, to suck just enough to be felt and pique the interest, and to intersperse it all with swift licks, small nibbles -- gentleness practiced on each other when it was so difficult to find elsewhere. Will is especially good at it when he's the one doing the giving, but Benjamin vastly prefers seeing Will receive it -- Will is so _sensitive._ Right now, he's already got the sort of tension that comes from the delirious anticipation of being worked to his peak -- and that's just from what Benjamin is doing.

Joseph touches his wrist lightly. Recalled to the business of distracting Will -- which has definitely worked, as Benjamin has also managed to distract himself -- Benjamin now feels Joseph's breath on his knuckles. With a last tease, he pulls his hand away and lets Joseph get on with it.

Will exclaims and seizes -- God, he's so _jumpy._ Benjamin holds him against the couch back with his now-free hand and continues mouthing at Will's skin. Will strains and does his best not to drive mindlessly forward for a moment; Benjamin sees how he digs the fingers of his free hand into the couch cushion and breathes heavily, attempting a rhythm to calm and control himself -- clearly fearful of doing harm. That won't do.

"You know," Benjamin murmurs, pulling away just enough that his nose bumps the shell of Will's ear, "without you around to distract us, we've been doing a lot of practice. Joseph's now quite capable of taking it all without choking -- you don't have to worry about being too rough with him."

He means it reassuringly. There's a faint gulping noise; Will shudders and groans at whatever it is that Joseph does then, but doesn't let up with the grip he's got on the back of Benjamin's shirt. 

"You really would be amazed," Benjamin goes on confidingly, feeling it out. "He's game for anything, seems like."

Movement in the corner of his eye -- he sees Joseph taking Will's left hand from where it is clawed into the couch cushion and pulling it down and out of sight. Will trembles, desperate -- he can't seem to convince himself to remove it from where Joseph undoubtedly leaves it resting on the back of his head as a sign of his willingness to accept whatever Will has to offer. 

That, more than anything -- Benjamin thinks he's twigged it, now, where Will's reluctance lies. "But I know you don't want to hurt him," he continues, soothingly, and gives Will's shoulders a little shake. He leans in so that Will's head is pressed to his own and whispers right into Will's ear. "Don't worry. I'm right here to keep that from happening. I won't let you get too rough."

He's got it right. Will sobs and breaks. He starts tugging on Benjamin's shirt frantically; Joseph makes a startled noise as Will tries pushing him away. Like Benjamin, Joseph instantly deduces the reason for it and resists, keeping Will exactly where he is -- between them. 

Will convulses, absolutely silent for a long moment. Then he sags and pants raggedly, each breath edged with a moan. Great shivers wrack through him twice before Joseph reappears, eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. 

"See?" Benjamin says, gentling his tone (and his grip) as much as he can. "He's absolutely fine. You haven't hurt him."

Joseph returns to his seat, sliding into Will's space to kiss him again. Will shivers and melts; his relief is tangible. 

It's a good start, Benjamin judges critically, seeing how Will tucks himself under Joseph's chin when Joseph pulls away, curling into his shoulder. But they haven't knocked all the tension out of him yet. It's a good thing they've another two days with him. 

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say? Rereading all of _[between the crosses](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1656289)_ proved to be inspiring.
> 
> Edit 9/13/20: slight expansion (+91) in the last 300ish words.


End file.
